Order 20 10

- 6

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Served: June 3 , 20 1 0



### UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation

on the 3 rd day of June , 20 1 0

ORDER APPROVING ALTERNATE SERVICE PATTERN

Summary By this order, we are approving an alternate service pattern for El Dorado/Camden and Hot Springs ’ subsidized essential air service (EAS), operated by Alaska Juneau
Aeronautics, Inc. d/b/a SeaPort Airlines ( SeaPort ) . Service to Dallas Love Field will now be permitted under the contract

.

Background By Order 200 9

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- 8, July 9, 2009 , the Department finalized its selection of SeaPort to provide subsidized EAS at El Dorado/Camden

, H arrison, H ot Springs, and Jonesboro

, Arkansas

, for a two

- year period beginning when SeaPort inaugurate d full service at all

communities. 1 SeaPort inaugurated service on October 26, 2009. El Dorado/Camden and Hot Springs ’ service consists of 18 nonstop round trips per week to Memphis with 9

- passenger Pilatus PC

- 12 aircraft

. The annual subsidy amount s for the first year are $2,096,517 for El Dorado /Camden and $1,419,102 for Hot Springs

.

Proposal and Community Comments

In a Ma y 21 letter to the Department, SeaPort proposed that El Dorado/Camden and Hot Springs receive “two round trips to Memphis (MEM) and one round trip to Dallas (DAL) six days per week. This is based on the success Harrison is already showing as a result of

1 Order 2009

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- 25, June 26, 2009, had tentatively selected SeaPort. Essential Air Service at

EL DORADO/CAMDEN, ARKANSAS

HOT SPRINGS , ARKANSAS

Under 49 U.S.C. 41731 et seq

. D ocket DOT

- OST

- 1997

- 2935having additional choice of destinations

. 2 ” SeaPort also states it reserves “the right to

chan ge the service back to the original pattern if after six months enplanements have not improved.”

Mike Dumas, Mayor of the City of El Dorado, submitted a letter giving “El Dorado’s full support for service change as proposed by SeaPort Airlines.” He states , “we are extremely excited about the possibility of adding a flight daily to Dallas. As you know, this community has had Dallas as our Hub for many, many years.” He understands that a morning and evening flight to Memphis will remain.

A June 1 letter c osigned by Mike Bush, Mayor of the City of Hot Springs, and Lance Hudnell, City Manager, supports SeaPort’s proposal for two round trips a day to Memphis and one round trip to Dallas. They “feel that service to Dallas has always been in demand from our pu blic and it will be a welcome addition by all using air service out of Hot Springs Memorial.”

Decision We will approve the alternate pattern , which meets the three conditions necessary for approval under authority assigned under 14 CFR 3 8 5.12(k)(3) of the Department ’s Regulations: (1) the alternate service pattern is equal to or greater than that determined to be essential; (2) the community do es not object to the alternate service pattern; and (3)

the alternate ser vice pattern will not increase SeaPort ’ subsidy.

Because we are simply allowing the alternate service pattern and not requiring it, SeaPort may revert to the original service pattern at any time.

The weekly compensation ceiling s and subsidy rate s per flight remain the same as issued

in Order 200 9

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- 8

.

This order is issued under authority assigned in 14 CFR 385.12(k)(3).

ACCORDINGLY, 1. We approve the alternate service pattern for Alaska Juneau Aeronautics, Inc. d/b/a

SeaPort Airlines to serve Dallas , Texas ( Love Field ) , in addition to Memph is, Tennessee ;

2. This docket will remain open until further order of the Department; and

2 Order 2010

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- 3, April 7, 2010, approved an alternate service pattern at Harrison, allowing SeaPort to serve Kansas City, in addition to Memphis.- 3

-

3. We will serve a copy of this order on the mayor s of Camden, El Dorado, and Hot Springs , Arkansas, the airport manager s of South Arkansas Regional Airport at Goodwin

Field (El Dorado/Camden), and Memorial Field Airport (Hot Springs)

, and Alaska
Juneau Aeronautics, Inc. d/b/a SeaPort Airlines

.

Persons entitled to petit ion the Department for review of this order under the Department’s Regulations, 14 CFR 385.30, must file such petitions within ten days after

the date of service of this order.

This order will be effective immediately, and the filing of a petition for rev iew shall not preclude its effectiveness.

By:

TODD M. HOMAN

Director Office of Aviation Analysis

(SEAL)

An electronic version of this document is available on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov